Mexico

It's been a few months so I figure it's time to post about our trip to Cancun Mexico. Michael parents took us to Cancun for a week. We stayed at one of the most amazing hotels I have ever seen.
I was gorgeous. Our Hotel was right on the beach.

We went four wheeling on beach and horse back riding into the ocean. We went snorkeling and had a blast the entire time.

These are just a few pictures of us having fun in the sun.
This trip was definitely the most unreal vacation I have ever been on.

I love animals. I was siked when Michael committed to going bare back horse riding with me. I thought for sure he would chuckle in my face at the suggestion. He had fun but I had a blast.

I'd say the best part was just being with Michael for 24 hours a day for 7 days strate. I never get to see that much anymore. So it was nice to just play for an entire week.

I tried to convince Michael to let us just pick up and move to Mexico. There are a lot of jobs down there and from the looks of it the economy is doing well. I have always wanted to be a beach bum. He didn't take the bait.

My Home

My mom keeps saying "I don't know what your home looks like." So I'm trying to show you what my life looks like.

Some of these photos are from X-mas.

This is St. Charles in the Spring.

Do Something Today

The days turn into weeks and weeks into years and now I find my self celebrating my 3rd year of marriage. I remember the excitement of finally finding my eternal companion. I had ached for my partner for so long. With him by my side, I could really be better.
I watched women like Sister Brown. I took notes on how she left love notes on her kids mirrors and how she posted scriptures in random places we couldn’t avoid. I was one of the kids she dragged out of bed @ 5:00 in morning for family prayer. It was obvious that I could do it. I could be like her someday.
I have this image of a wife and a mother I have always planned on being. Someday when I’m 25, married in the temple, with 2 kids and a little home… I would be there. I will be following Sister Browns example and have that immense capability to love and direct my family.
I went home to Vegas and I sat at that familiar kitchen table, I listened to the sounds of my past. It made me reevaluate my success in my plan. It hit me hard like a smack in the face. I’m not there. I’m 25 in September, and I’m not there.
Have we been guilty of declaring, “I’ve been thinking about making some course corrections in my life. I plan to take the first step—tomorrow”? With such thinking, tomorrow is forever. Such tomorrows rarely come unless we do something about them today.
So I made a plan. A list of things I must do to get there. The hardest is to read my scriptures every night. I speak to God all the time in my thoughts but do I ever give him the opportunity to talk back to me?
How do I become what I want to become? Service… I need to give what I can. So I made a list of things that would be service to my family. Make dinner for my husband, keep the house clean, do the Laundry. All basics, being a wife 101. Listen to spiritual music, go to church for all three hours, do my calling, visit teach.
It’s hard. I’m going on week two. But I feel better. I don’t think I understand a thing more about the gospel. But I find hope. I’m doing all that I physically can to make my life the way I planed. I know God will help me figure it out.

My Garden August 10, 2008

I would even go as far as to say I was succsesful at my first garden atempt. At this point I have a list of plants that have survived. This purple flower is a Zinnia. I have them every where. They are a huge bush like annual. These yellow one's are black eyed susans. I love them. They are on my next years list. I did well with peppers this year. I learned a new fact about them threw experience. Did you know how/why red peppers turn red? They turn red because they have been left on the plant long enoufe to let the sun change them. I had no clue until my peppers started changing color on me.

Over all I would say I'm a addicted. I thought I was addicted before I started. Now I know I can change things for the better. I love nature. I love the way a seed can become so much more than a seed. Simple but amazing.

I would say we averaged 5 cucumbers a week. We had so many I didn't know what to do with them. I don't even realy like cucumbers. But I had to give them a shot.

I would guestimate that I harvested over 30 this year. At least. We had cucumber in every thing.

These are my Sun Flowers. I was sad to see that I had so few. I planted 2 acre's worth but I only had about 10 survive and flower. But they are breath taking and huge.

Pumpkins! I can't wait until Halloween. I should have a few ready for carving. I have learned that pumpkins rot from the bottom up. So always keep some mulch under them to keep the out of the soggy ground. Japense beatle are also a big problem with these bad boys.

This is our cute little swing. You can't tell from this picture but there are huge red zinnias to the left of the swing. My Hollyhawks are behind it and my pumpkins are next to my large ornamental grass on the left. Pictures don't do plants justice. I think I just need a better camera.

I love Holly hocks. These are bieneials. They are so pritty. They stand about four feet tall. I was so surprised to see them blooming. They shouldn't be this full for at least a year or two. I got lucky. These are a must have in every garden.

I have no clue what kind of flower this is. I only know its a suckulent. It was a pleasent surprise to find that they bloom hot pink flowers in the fall. They are so fun. I was so lucky to get them from a nice lady on Freecycle.

I completly endorse Freecycle. Its such a cool resorce.

This is my $6 Hydrangea. Yes that's correct I saed $6.00. I know! It's amazing. I tend to be the best bargain plant shopper. And best of all, it's actually alive. Hydrangea's are the hardest plant to keep alive. They are very tempermental.

This is one of 5 baby watermellons. They all made it with out roting.






These are Elephant Ears. They come as a Bulb and tun into the most unusual mamoth plant. I just love it.

I sunflowers! I found my self disappointed in these big boys though. They are just to huge. They topple over. I think our tallest sunflower got to about 13 ft. tall.

This is how much space I have to fill. I love our big back yard. But I'm used to walls and defined privacy. So It's hard for me to get used to not having a fence. My large garden is the that tiny strip of green next to the red fence in the back. You can barley see it. So I need to fill it all up next year. ... well maybe not all. I don't think I have the energy.

I wont try lettuce next year. It just grossed me out to much to eat it. It just sat there in the dirt. It's not cute... definetly not the funest plant.

This is my baby pear. I have a bunch doing well. I love my pear tree. We have two peach tree's in the works. Some day will have tons of free fruit.